Oldies But Goldies
May 10, 2018
With less options for pre-teen shows on Disney and Nickelodeon today, many people remember the golden era of teen comedies, from the late 90s to the early 2000s. Lots of the most popular shows of their time ended for reasons unrelated to the show itself. As time goes on, the casts move on to bigger and better things, which leads to the end of each show, but people still enjoy watching the reruns.
“Drake and Josh”
“Drake and Josh” was a popular Nickelodeon show that was about two step brothers, Drake Parker (Drake Bell) & Josh Nichols (Josh Peck), going through their teenage years. Unfortunately, the show ended after only three short years, but not before becoming one of Nickelodeon’s most well-known shows. However, many of the show’s watchers didn’t know the real reason why the show was ended. Most television shows typically end due to poor ratings or dropping views, but in this situation it was the exact opposite, according to DanSchneider. The last season of “Drake and Josh” actually had the best ratings in the entire show’s history. But instead, they wanted to end their show, since both of them had been on Nickelodeon for over eight years on multiple shows, and desired to move on to bigger and better things.
“Good Luck Charlie”
“Good Luck Charlie” was a Disney channel hit series that lasted from 2010-2014. In its four seasons, it released a total of 97 episodes, one film, and earned a rating of 4/5 on Common Sense Media. And although the show was deeply loved by its fans, the creators decided to end the show in order to let Bridgit Mendler, who played Teddy Duncan, pursue her music career after her hit song “Ready or Not” landed a spot on the 2012 Billboard Hot 100, states HuffPost. It was a huge shock to fans because of how well the show was doing, and how suddenly it ended. Only eight episodes before the finale, Disney released a statement declaring that it would be their last season. However, four years after the ending of “Good Luck Charlie,” fans are still re-watching episodes and staying involved with actors in order to let the show live on.
“iCarly”
“iCarly” was one of the longer lasting Nickelodeon shows, which is also a representation of its huge popularity. “iCarly” lasted from 2007-2012 (five seasons) and was one of the most iconic shows on Nickelodeon. The show consisted of three friends, Carly (Miranda Cosgrove), Freddie (Nathan Kress), and Sam (Jennette McCurdy), that hosted a weekly webcast filled with funny jokes, weird games, and “Random Dancing.” Furthermore, you may recognize Carly Shay from her former role as Megan Parker in “Drake & Josh,” which ultimately grew her popularity, making her the perfect fit for the lead role in “iCarly.” Sadly, the show came to term when Jennette McCurdy left the show to star in another Nickelodeon hit, “Sam & Cat,” starring herself and Ariana Grande. However, you can still catch reruns on TeenNick and can watch full episodes on the Nick website, making the ending much easier for its devoted viewers.
“Jessie”
“Jessie” was a four season Disney comedy series lasting from 2011-2015. The show put out a total of 98 groundbreaking episodes, and the entire cast was very appreciative to have been able to share in such a wonderful show, states Disney. The show was about a wealthy family of mostly-adopted children that lived in a fancy penthouse with their nanny, Jessie (Debby Ryan) and butler Bertram (Kevin Chamberlin) while their parents are away living their lavish lifestyle. “Jessie” managed to supply young viewers with a source of funny entertainment while still teaching them important morals and good lessons, according to Common Sense Media. Nonetheless, the show finished its run when executive producer Pamela Eells O’Connell had the idea to create a spin-off tv show called “Bunk’d” where lead actors Peyton List, Skai Jackson, and Karan Brar have ventured off to summer camp, and Cameron Boyce moved to Disney XD to star in “Gamer’s Guide to Pretty Much Everything.” And although the ending of such a memorable childhood show was not ideal, “Bunk’d” has been going strong since 2015 and is a great supply of some of your favorite “Jessie” characters.
Everyone still remembers their favorite Disney/Nick show no matter their age, which truly proves how timeless these shows are. Devoted fans know no new spin-off can ever compare to or replace these timeless creations.
